Does the LDS Church have a position on left over embryos frozen from IVF?

Question

Gramps,

I am wondering what the church’s position is on left over embryos that have been frozen from IVF. After years of infertility, I was finally able to conceive the most beautiful boy. However, we have several frozen embryos left. I am now 49 years of age and although I would love another child I don’t know if it would be wise to pursue another pregnancy with the frozen embryos or if I should discard them or donate them for embryo adoption. I have fasted and prayed earnestly but still feel lost.

Amy

Answer

Hi Amy,

Thank you for your very personal question. I commend you on seeking out an answer from our Father in Heaven through fasting and prayer.

I will focus my response on your initial question: “I am wondering what the church’s position is onleft over embryosthat have been frozen from (In Vitro Fertilization) IVF ?”

When it comes to deeply personal questions like this in life, there typically tends to be a wrestling and waiting period as we look for our answers. I believe the Lord wants us to be committed to earnestly seeking out his will for us individually. This process requires work on our behalf. In part, I feel this is necessary so that once we have reached our final conclusion, we can not look back upon it in regret from being hasty, ill informed or simply choosing the easiest option at the time. This process of pondering, seeking and waiting will hopefully allow you to feel confident in the knowledge that you have chosen the best course of action for you personally and that your choice lines up with the will of the Lord.

The Church strongly discourages in vitro fertilization using semen from anyone but the husband or an egg from anyone but the wife. However, this is a personal matter that ultimately must be left to the judgment of the husband and wife. Responsibility for the decision rests solely upon them.

In the same line of thought, we also read:

21.4.13 Sperm Donation

The Church strongly discourages the donation of sperm

Lastly

21.4.3 Artificial Insemination

The Church strongly discourages artificial insemination using semen from anyone but the husband. However, this is a personal matter that ultimately must be left to the judgment of the husband and wife. Responsibility for the decision rests solely upon them.

Artificial insemination of single sisters is not approved. Single sisters who deliberately refuse to follow the counsel of Church leaders in this matter are subject to Church discipline.

Apart from these statements above, most readily available material on this subject appears to fall into the category of “personal opinion” versus the “Church’s position”.

Here are some observations that I gather from the quotes above:

1. The use of the wording “strongly discourages” versus a definitive “thou shalt not”. We only find Church discipline associated with artificial insemination of single sisters.
2. Once we see the Church’s position of “strongly discourages”, we then see that the choice is ultimately given to the individual/couple: “However, this is a personal matter”.
3. Lastly, we see that responsibility of that choice “rests solely upon them (the couple/individual).”

In simple terms: Here is the Church’s advice but the choice is yours. When it is said and done, like all choices the results of that choice rest upon you.

When it comes to your specific question about what to do with “leftover embryos”, my understanding from the quotes above is that the Church “strongly discourages” their donation thus pointing you in the direction of discarding them. This choice, ultimately being one you and your husband should make and take responsibility for.

Thank you again Amy for your question. I wish you the best moving forward in this process and have full faith that once the time is right, you will know which course of action is best for you and your husband.

I wonder if the Church would view donation of embryos as something similar to adoption. Adoption is not discouraged at all, so I’m wondering if donating rather than destroying embryos would be viewed in the same light?

Momofboys

We’ve done a lot of research on embryo adoption lately because we are considering it. There is a news blog about an LDS family who had a baby via embryo adoption. They counseled with their stake president, who worked with LDS Family Services, and the consensus was that it was just an early version of adoption. When the couple wrote to the First Presidency about whether they would need to have the baby sealed to them, they were told the baby was born in the covenant.

Noni

I can’t even believe that you are comparing Embryos to Sperm or EGGS…. And saying that the Church is pointing to discarding them over donation… I would think maybe you should look at the “Thou shall not kill” since it is a union between an egg and sperm from a couple, and not just sperm or just eggs. I really think that the whole idea behind getting just sperm or just eggs is so that when a child is born to a couple there will be no hard feelings between the couple because the resulting child came from only one of them… Embryos on the other hand are created beings to start with. SO if a couple elects to adopt embryos they are getting children not just sperm or just an egg. I have been married for 15 years this April and we are going the Embryo route as we make children together that have chromosome abnormalities and our last son was born with physical abnormalities as well. I would think that Heavenly father would want you to donate over destroy, as you would be blessing others who are earnestly seeking children they themselves cannot bring here. I know I am supposed to have more children but also know that I am not supposed to give them a body from my or my husbands DNA. I am not trying to be mean but I truly think that you totally misinterpreted the discarding thing… You would be throwing babies away in my honest opinion.

Jennifer Ridge Schlaline

I was an egg donor long ago for a married couple. I was also married and had my own children. I sought counsel and my husband agreed that the egg and sperm are merely tissues/DNA. The spirit of the child would be one that chose that family. And if no children were choosing that family, then the embryos wouldn’t matter. Please understand from a medical perspective, many many women get pregnant and abort the fetus several times in their lives. It all happened within this 28 days cycle (2week embryos). Our bodies discard them and often we don’t even know there was a conception. Also, from a spiritual perspective, our embryos/fetuses are the vehicle in which a spirit enters to experience mortality. Your frozen embryos do not contain trapped spirits within them. The spirits of your child(ren) commune with you (mother) and Heavenly Father while in gestation. They are being prepared, and still have free will to choose this mortality all the way up till birth. Why do woman have a glow while pregnant? Because it’s the closest feeling we can have to our Father in Heaven, while mortals. It brings us home for a time being. It’s sacred. (Sorry guys, you get the priesthood, we get to grow life 0:-) So I would not feel turmoil in disposing of an embryo. I also would not feel turmoil in donating them. But the latter, can be more challenging IMHO. Perhaps you have gotten no answer, because you need not do anything. If it’s costing you heartache, or expensive to keep them frozen, remember the child chooses their mission just as we all did. Much Love to you.

Aubrey Richardson

Can you tell me where this blog is, we are 3 months pregnant with an adopted embryo and I have the same questions about if this child is sealed to us.
Thank you

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